ggk.thelionsofal-rassan- 第57节

　　
　　He　had　been　forewarned；　but　not　sufficiently。　King　Ramiro　of　Valledo；　sitting　upon　his　throne　set　before　the　triple　arches　in　his　newly　pleted　audience　chamber；　was　sharply　aware　of　trouble　the　moment　the　visitors　entered　the　hall。
　　He　glanced　briefly　at　his　wife　and　noted　the　heightened　color　in　her　face；　which　only　confirmed　his　instinct。　Ines　had　taken　great　pains　with　her　appearance　this　morning。　Not　a　surprise；　these　were　guests　from　Ferrieres；　which　had　been　her　home。
　　On　his　other　side；　one　step　back　from　the　throne；　his　constable；　Count　Gonzalez　de　Rada；　displayed　only　his　customary　arrogance　to　their　guests。　That　was　fine；　but　Ramiro　was　almost　certain　that　de　Rada　was　oblivious　to　what　these　men　might　actually　mean　for　Valledo。
　　No　real　surprise　there；　either。　Gonzalez　had　a　good　mind　and　a　direct　way　of　achieving　things；　but　his　perceptions　extended　no　further　than　the　three　kingdoms　of　Esperana。　He　could　make　shrewd　observations　about　what　King　Ramiro's　brother　in　Ruenda　or　his　uncle　in　Jalona　might　intend；　and　propose　measures　to　balk　them；　but　clerics　from　countries　across　the　mountains　held　no　interest　for　him　and　therefore　shared　no　part　of　his　thought。
　　Which　was　why　the　warning　had　been　insufficient。　Five　men　of　the　god；　one　of　them　high…ranking；　were　stopping　here　at　the　queen's　invitation；　en　route　to　the　shrine　on　Vasca's　Isle。　What　could　that　possibly　signify？　Gonzalez　had　hardly　given　it　a　thought。　Neither；　to　his　own　swiftly　growing　regret；　had　the　king。
　　Betraying　no　hint　of　these　emerging　apprehensions；　Ramiro　of　Valledo　gazed　politely　at　the　man　proceeding　down　the　carpeted　approach　to　the　throne；　a　few　telling　steps　ahead　of　his　fellows。　Some　men　alerted　you　with　their　very　presence　that　something　of　substance　was　afoot。　This　was　one　such。
　　Geraud　de　Chervalles；　High　Cleric　of　Ferrieres；　was　tall　enough　to　look　down　on　every　man　in　that　room；　including　the　king。　His　face　was　shaved　smooth　as　a　baby's；　with　grey　hair　swept　straight　back　from　his　brow；　making　him　seem　even　taller。　His　eyes；　even　at　a　distance　from　the　throne；　were　a　penetrating　blue；　set　beneath　straight　eyebrows　and　above　a　long　nose　and　a　thin；　wide　mouth。　His　bearing　was　patrician；　courtly；　the　manner　of　an　ambassador　to　a　lesser　court；　not　that　of　a　servant　of　the　god　appearing　before　a　monarch。　Garbed　in　the　blue　robes　of　the　Ferrieres　clerics；　fringed　and　belted　with　yellow　for　the　sun；　Geraud　de　Chervalles　was　an　undeniably　imposing　man。
　　The　king　saw　no　deference　at　all　in　that　aristocratic　face。　Nor　did　he　find　it…sparing　a　quick　glance…in　the　expressions　of　the　four　lesser　clerics　who　had　now　e　to　a　halt　behind　de　Chervalles。　No　hostility　or　aggression；　nothing　as　ill…bred　as　that；　but　clerics　didn't　have　to　be　hostile　to　cause　a　world　of　trouble；　and　amiro　now；　belatedly；　had　a　sense　that　trouble　was　what　had　arrived　beneath　his　arches　to　stand　upon　the　newly　laid　carpets　and　mosaics　this　cold　and　drizzly　morning　in　autumn。
　　It　didn't　help　to　know　that　his　wife　had　requested　their　presence。
　　He　pulled　his　fur…collared　robe　more　closely　about　himself。　Out　of　the　corner　of　one　eye　he　saw　Gonzalez　make　a　discreet　gesture　and　servants　hastened　to　build　up　the　fires。　His　constable　was　endlessly　solicitous　of　the　king's　forts　in　such　small　matters。　Unfortunately　he　had　missed　something　large　here。　On　the　other　hand；　so　had　Ramiro　himself；　and　he　was　not　a　man　to　task　others　for　failings　he　shared。
　　〃Be　wele　to　Valledo；〃　he　said　calmly；　as　the　tall　cleric　stopped　a　proper　distance　before　the　throne。　〃In　the　holy　name　of　Jad。〃
　　Geraud　of　Ferrieres　bowed　then…not　before；　Ramiro　noted。　The　bow　was　proper；　though；　a　full；　formal　salutation。　He　straightened。
　　〃We　are　honored；　my　lord　king。〃　The　High　Cleric's　voice　was　rich　and　cultured。　He　spoke　Esperanan　flawlessly；　even　to　the　patrician　lisp。　〃Honored　by　the　invitation　from　our　own　beloved　Ines；　your　most　devout　queen；　and　by　your　royal　wele。　Only　the　prospect　of　a　winter's　fort　here　at　Esteren's　much…celebrated　court　could　have　drawn　us　forth　upon　the　roads　and　through　the　mountains　so　late　in　the　year。〃
　　No　bones　about　it　then。　His　very　first　remarks。　They　were　staying。　Not　really　a　surprise；　though　they　might　have　been　intending　to　push　on　to　Ruenda。　That　would　have　been　pleasant。　Ramiro　was　aware　of　Ines　beaming　beside　him；　elegant　and　desirable。　She　had　been　looking　forward　to　this　for　a　long　time。
　　〃We　shall　offer　what　forts　we　may；〃　the　king　said；　〃though　we　fear　we　cannot　match　the　fame　of　Ferrieres　for　the　delights　of　the　flesh。〃　He　smiled；　to　make　clear　it　was　a　jest。
　　The　High　Cleric　shook　his　head。　There　was　an　unwele　hint　of　admonition　in　his　expression。　Already。　〃We　live　simple　lives；　your　grace；〃　he　murmured。　〃We　will　be　well　content　with　any　meager　space　and　amenities　you　are　able　to　spare。　Our　delight　and　sustenance　will　e　from　the　presence　of　the　god　in　this　mighty　stronghold　of　Jad　in　the　west。〃
　　Ramiro　schooled　his　features。　He　was　aware　that　Ines　had　already　allocated　and　sumptuously　furnished　a　suite　of　connecting　rooms　for　the　Ferrieres　clerics　in　the　new　wing　of　the　palace；　in　the　event　that　they　elected　to　linger　for　more　than　a　short　time。　There　was　even　a　chapel　there；　at　her　insistence。　Geraud　de　Chervalles　would　not　be　forced　to　deal　with　any　meager　spaces　here。　The　king　was　also　aware　of　the　detailed　exchange　of　letters　between　his　queen　and　the　clerics　of　her　birthplace。　It　would　be　unseemly；　of　course；　to　betray　knowledge　of　this。　He　felt　like　being　unseemly。
　　〃We　are　certain　our　dearly　beloved　queen　has　been　at　pains　to　ply　with　every　point　of　your　instructions　regarding　what　acmodations　would　be　adequate　for　your　needs。　The　hot　water　has　been　arranged　for　your　rooms；　your　personal　masseur　for　each　afternoon。　The　food　as　stipulated。　The　requested　Farlenian　wine。〃
　　He　smiled　genially。　Ines　stiffened　beside　him。　Geraud　de　Chervalles　looked　briefly　disfited；　then　sorrowful；　in　the　manner　of　all　clerics。　He　had；　however；　no　easy　reply。　It　was　useful；　Ramiro　thought；　to　bring　them　up　short　early；　like　a　horse　in　the　breaking；　before　all　the　smooth；　rolling　phrases　began　to　pour　endlessly　forth。　He　doubted；　though；　that　this　man　was　susceptible　to　being　checked。　A　moment　later　this　was　confirmed。
　　〃I　do　regret　that　my　advancing　years　have　made　it　necessary　to　beg　certain　solicitous　favors　from　those　who　honor　us　with　a　request　to　visit。　Especially　in　winter；　I　fear。　Your　majesty　is　young　yet；　in　the　flush　of　your　god…granted　vigor。　Those　of　us　who　have　begun　our　mortal　decline　can　only　look　to　you　as　our　stern　arm　of　support；　under　the　holy　sun　of　Jad。〃
　　As　expected。　Not　someone　who　could　be　quelled　as　he　had　managed　to　quell　the　yellow…garbed　clerics　here　over　the　years。　Erratic　men；　ambitious；　but　without　leadership　or　force。　Without　looking　he　could　picture　the　smug　expressions　on　their　faces。　They　had　a　champion　now；　and　things　might　be　about　to　change。　Well；　he　ought　to　have　known　this　was　ing。　He　ought　to　have　given　it　more　thought。　He　had　no　one　to　blame　but　himself　for　agreeing　to　Ines's　request　that　they　invite　one　of　the　High　Clerics　from　her　own　country　to　stop　here　on　his　way　to　the　Isle；　for　the　fort　of　her　soul。
　　He'd　known　the　name　of　de　Chervalles；　known　he　was　a　figure　of　power。　Beyond　that　he　had　not　concerned　himself。　A　weakness。　He　didn't　like　thinking　about　clerics。　He　did　have　a　vague　memory　of　the　afternoon　she'd　asked　his　permission　to　invite　the　man。　He　had　been　lulled　and　languorous　in　the　aftermath　of　lovemaking。　His　queen；　thought　Ramiro　of　Valledo；　looking　straight　ahead；　knew　him　altogether　too　well。
　　He　forced　himself　to　smile　again　at　the　tall；　grey…haired　man　in　the　luxurious　blue　and　yellow　robe。　〃You　are　unlikely　to　need　defending　here　in　winter。　Except　against　cold　and　boredom；　perhaps。　We　will　do　what　we　can　to　make　you　fortable　during　your　brief　time　with　us。〃　He　allowed　his　tone　to　hint　at　dismissal。　Perhaps　this　first　encounter；　at　least；　could　be　kept　short。　That　would　give　him　time　to　think　things　through　a　little。
　　De　Chervalles's　expression　grew　dark；　troubled。　〃The　god　knows　our　fears　are　not　for　ourselves　or　our　own　for